Talk:List of bishops of Turku

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The article as it is currently written is a bit confusing. At one point it says "Saint Henry, Bishop of Uppsala, is often mentioned as the first Bishop of Finland", but then later says "his position as the Bishop of Finland is however totally unhistorical, and not claimed even by the legends." How does "often mentioned" differ from "legend"? And the term "unhistorical" is confusing because there are "historic claims" although clearly they are not contemporary or official records.

I would propose that the article should ne amended to say that "According to claims made in the 16th century, Saint Henry, Bishop of Uppsala was the first Bishop of Turku. However,there are no contemporary church records supporting the claim, but equally there are no other persons for whom the claim is made".

The words "legend" and "unhistorical" in the English language seem to falsify the claim. But history cannot always be supported by documents and reported history, sometimes not contemporary, is often all that is left. If there are historical records recording another figure as being the first Bishop of Turku, then clearly my proposal would not be acceptable, but it is not clear to me that that is the case. --Tom 09:46, 8 May 2007 (UTC).[reply]

Legends do not claim that Henry was a Bishop of Finland. The claims have been made by much later historians, who have wanted to see Henry as a purely Finnish bishop, not as a Bishop of Uppsala who just happened to get killed in Finland. These claims are not based on any historical or legendary material, they are just speculations from historians. Henry started to appear as the first in the line of Bishops of Turku in order to emphasize the Swedish heritage that the Finnish church allegedly had, eventually being referred to as a Bishop of Turku as well. The first known Bishop of Finland (Turku) is Thomas, even though there certainly were bishops before him, however without surviving names. --Drieakko 11:05, 8 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Ai,ai Drieakko, here is the official Roman Catholic version in English.

" Up to the beginning of the twelfth century the people (of Finland) were pagans, about this date efforts for the conversation of the Finns were made from both sides. The Grand Duke of Novgorod, Vassievolodovich, sent missioners to the Karelians, Finns living on the Lake Ladoga (should be Laatokka) in Eastern Finland, while in 1157 King Erik of Svealand undertook a crusade to Finland. Erik established himself firmly on the south - western coast and from this base he extended his power. Henrik, Bishop of Upsala, who had accompanied Erik on this expedition, devoted himself to preaching the Gospel and suffered the death of a martyr n 1158. (Killed by Lalli on the ice of Köyliönjärvi by axe, cutting his head off from his body.) His successor Rodolfus (Rudolf), nicknamed by the people of Rikala "Black Rudolf" because of his dark skin, met the same fate in 1178. He was taken as a hostige by the Curonians (Crane People) when they made a pirate raid to the mouth of Rikala River. (He was burned alive in Oselia (Saaremaa) in the Moonsund Archipelago. The next following bishop, Folkvin, (should be Folquinus) died a natural death in 1198.

Finland attained an independent church organization under Bishop Thomas (1220 - 1245) d. 1248, whose see was at Räntemäkai (should be Räntämäki); at a later date the episcopal residence was transferred to Åbo. The successors of Thomas were:

-- Bero I (d. 1258)

-- Rangvald I (1258 - 1266)

-- Kettil (1266 - 1286)

-- Joannes I (1286 - 1290)

-- Magnus I (1290 - 1308) who was the first Finn to become a bishop. He tranferred the see to Åbo.

-- Ragnvald II (1309 - 1321)

-- Bengt (1321 - 1338)

-- Hemming (1338 - 1366) who made wise laws, built numerous churches, begun the collection of a library, and died in the odour of sanctity. In 1514 his bones were taken up, the relics now being in the museum of the city of Åbo, but he was not canonized.

-- Henricus Hartmanni (1366 - 1368)

-- Joannes II Petri (1368 - 1370)

-- Joannes III Westfal (1370 - 1385), a bishop of German descent.

-- Bero II (1385 -1412)

-- Magnus II Olai Tavast (1412 - 1450), the most important prince of the Church in Finland, who, when eighty - eight years old, undertook arduous visitations. He also went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land whence he bought back objects of art and manuscripts.

-- Olaus Magni (1450 - 1460), who in earlier years was twice rector of Sorbonne, a college of the University of Paris, and was also a procurator and bursar of the "English nation" at the University. As a representative of these he settled the disagreement between Charles VII and the university arising from the part of the latter had taken in the burning of Joan of Arc.

-- Conrad I Bitz (1460 - 1489), who in 1488 had the "Missale ecclesiae Åboensis" printed.

-- Magnus III Stjernkors (1489 - 1500)

-- Laurentius Suurpää (1500 - 1506)

-- Joannes IV Olavi (1506-1510)

-- Arvid Kurck (1510 - 1520), who drowned to in the Baltic.

-- Ericus Svenonis (1523), the chancellor of King Gustavus Vasa, this prelate resigned the see as his election was not confirmed by Rome. He was the last Catholic Bishop in Finland.

The King now, on his own authority, appointed his favourite, the Dominican Martin Skytte as bishop. Skytte did all in his power to promote the violent introdution of Lutheranism. The people were deceived by the retention of Catholic ceremonies. Clerics and monks were given the choice of apostasy, expulsion or death. The only moderation shown was that exhibited toward the Brigittine nunnery of Ninendal (should be Naantali). But on other hand, the Dominicans at Åbo and Viborg (should be Viipuri), and the Franciscans at Kökars (Köökari) were rudely driven out and apparently the immates of the monastery of Raumo (should be Rauma) were hung. Then,as later, the Church in Finland did not lack martyrs, among them Jöns Jussila, Peter Ericius and many others.

By the end of the sixteenth century the Catholic Church in Finland may be said to have ceased to exist. In its place appeared an inflexible and inquisitorial Lutheranism. When in 1617 Karelia (East Finland) fell to Sweden an effort was made to win the native population, which belonged to the Greek Orthodox Church, for the "pure Gospel". As this did not succeed, the war 1566 - 1568 was used for the massacre and expulsion of the people.

From the text of Registrum Ecclesiae Åboensis (Åbo Domkyrka Svartbok edited by R. Hausen 1890 and transliterated to Finnish in 1989 under title " Suomen varhaiskeskiajan lähteitä " Historian aitta XXI Edited by Matti Linna, Jyväskylä 1989) we find out a mention of Popal prelate from Daakia who was appointed to be "Spiritual Guard" of the Church of Finland after Bishop Thomas. May I also point out that Spiridon was not only old Greek but also old Roumanian (Daakian) name.

JN

The President of Finland was in some sense the head of the church until 1997, when the election of bishops was returned back to the church. This has, however, nothing to do with the title of the see, which has been since 1817 "Archbishop of Turku and Finland". --MPorciusCato 12:22, 11 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]